When separable hearings, such as tapered roller bearings, are assembled into a given system, they must be assembled in a configuration that allows one cup-cone set to react against a second cup-cone set in order to assure neither cup-cone set separate during operation. Therefore, separable hearings generally have their cumulative axial internal clearance set during assembly. One method of setting tapered roller bearings includes applying a known set-up load to the bearing system, measuring the gap between a cup carrier and a housing, and using the gap measurement results to determine a shim thickness for final assembly. However, this method cannot be used when bearing system stiffness varies significantly from unit to unit and/or changes frequently due to modifications to structural components.
Additionally, errors can be introduced when a number of bolts at a specified torque are used to create the required set-up load due to variations in bolt torque coefficients of friction from bolt to bolt. Further, the error in load magnitude variability inherent to using bolts to apply the set-up load is magnified with the single point-gap measurement setting method because the resulting shim thickness is extrapolated using an averaged system stiffness.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,091,298, hereinafter referred to as the '298 patent, describes a pinion assembly preloading systems. The system includes a press actuator adapted to apply an axial force against a pinion assembly; a force sensor adapted to measure a reaction force at the pinion assembly. Further, the system includes a controller adapted to control the press actuator according to a change in the reaction force. However, the '298 patent does not disclose a method that improves bearing setting accuracy for systems where stiffness slope is erratic.